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Lexi parked beside Tyler's car, her heart pounding in her ears when she saw his tall form step from her back porch. Just the thought of him being there had her body warming. A deep-rooted quivering began inside her, because she knew what they’d do and she wanted him so much.

Her car door opened, “Hey, sweetheart.

Welcome home.”

She inhaled and grabbed her purse and files she’d taken to work with her. The moment she stepped out of the car, Tyler pulled her to him and buried his nose in her hair.

“Mmm, you smell good. I’ve missed you.”

He was warm and solid, lean but strong. She closed her eyes, feeling some of her tension drain away, “Come on. It’s getting chilly. Let’s go inside.”

Lexi glanced up at him, caught her breath at the heat and desire she saw in his gaze. Would it always be this way? Tyler dipped his head and brushed a kiss over her mouth, lingering, pressing for more when her lips parted and he could slide inside. Within seconds they were both breathing heavily and Tyler hustled her toward the back door.

The moment the door shut behind them, Tyler lifted her up until her toes barely touched the floor and snuggled her hips against his.

“I don’t know if I can wait long enough to get to the bed. I’ve missed you so much, Lexi.”

His expression backed up his words. The tired lines around his eyes and the corner of his mouth told of a long week, and his muscles were hard and taut. A surge of emotion sparked to life and shook her to her core. Tyler was smart, kind, handsome and more moral than she thought. He really wanted her, the baby, mistake or not. But how did she know that this would last and he wouldn’t change his mind one day?

Lexi shoved her thoughts aside and pulled away, far enough that she could yank his shirt over his head. Tyler's smile flashed in the dim house and he reached for the light switch, but she caught his hand and carried it to her ribs instead. His hand firmed, then shifted to her breast. He cupped her and squeezed, releasing a low, strangled sound of lust.

Without a word, they tore at each other’s clothes. She unbuckled his belt and tried to open his jeans, but he yanked her crested jacket down her arms and tossed it aside. She tried again, succeeding in undoing both the snap and zipper while he unbuttoned her blouse and opened her front-snap bra, shoved her pants and underwear down her legs until they fell to her feet, and she stepped out of them.

Tyler followed her step for step toward the kitchen table but she stopped just shy of reaching it. Lexi settled her hands at his waist and pushed his jeans and underwear low, letting Tyler take care of removing them. Head down, distracted, Tyler didn’t see her bite her lip as she shoved him gently backward onto the side chair positioned with its back to the wall.

“Hey—”

She followed quickly, pressing her mouth to his and smothering his protest while straddling his legs and settling herself on his lap. Tyler's hands gripped her waist, pressed her against the bulge of him until her breath locked in her chest. She closed her eyes and squirmed closer, reveling in the groan he released. He lifted her higher and took his dear sweet time nuzzling his way around the loosened bra cups.

“I want you.” He wrapped one arm around her and held her in position while using his free hand to cup her and tease with his lips. “Need you.”

The rasping quality of his words barely registered. She was lost in a haze of thrumming desire, focusing on the feel of his hands, but the way he looked at her, the way he watched her. Remembering the scarf she’d worn, she tugged it loose and pulled it from her neck. Lexi bent low and kissed him, slipping the material into place over his eyes.

“Sweetheart, I want to see you.”

She kissed him harder, her hands tightening the scarf around his head and making it clear he was to leave it on. Almost immediately Tyler leaned forward in the chair and she gasped and held his shoulders, everything off balance, until he readjusted their positions and entered her. Aching and ready, knowing she’d secretly waited all day for him, Lexi bit her mouth to keep from releasing a moan and held on to him while he settled himself more comfortably in the chair. 

Blinded by the scarf, he traced her body with his hands, relearning the shape of her, the feel of her. Like he’d been gone years instead of days. She watched him, touched him, ran her hands over the bulging biceps to the leanness of his stomach. She felt freer, liking it that he couldn’t see her reaction to him. 

A moment later Tyler pulled her flush against him and used his hands to rock her. The chair creaked with their movements, loud in the quiet house. Lexi lifted her legs and tried to find an anchor by putting her feet on the lower rungs. She held on to his shoulders, tried to catch her breath. Why was it so hard to breathe when he was near?

“Trust me.” He growled the words into her skin. “Relax, sweetheart. Just trust me,” he repeated huskily. “You like what we do. You like the way we want each other. Need each other. But you don’t want to like it so much because you are worried about us, hmmm?”

Was she so transparent?

“But every time we do this?” Below the blindfold his lips pulled up in a wickedly sensual smile that curled her toes, his hands locking down on her hips to hold them still on his when all she wanted to do was move. “We get even closer.”

No. She didn’t respond verbally, but she tensed. She couldn’t help it. She wasn’t going to argue because she knew it would be easy to prove her wrong.

After a second passed, Tyler began rocking her against him again. “We’re going to be okay, sweetheart. You, me and the bab—”

“Shut up.”

A chuckle rumbled out of his chest and his grip tightened as he reestablished the ebb and flow of them. “She speaks,” he growled, nibbling on the supersensitive skin of her neck. “Ah, honey, you’re going to have to learn what it means to trust me completely because trust and love go hand in hand.”